Santdev is running a community kitchen, feeding about fifty people daily, and also helps people in lodging…reports Asian Lite News.
Pandemic is creating a new era of fear and crisis. Santdev Chauhan is an employee in AIIMS for the last 25 years and is working day and night to help the poor during this pandemic. He is facilitating the treatment of the people coming to AIIMS from far flung areas.
Santdev is running a community kitchen, feeding about fifty people daily and also helps people in lodging.
While talking to us, he said, “I am working in AIIMS for many years but it is now that I get satisfaction when I help people who are in distress, sometimes financially also. I have also donated my one year’s salary to PM-Cares fund.”
Santdev hails from Mau in UP. He said that he got the passion for social service from his grandfather. Santdev is the head of AIIMS Disabled Employees Federation which has around 2,000 members including some doctors, nurses and other staff.
When asked about his experience, he said that he has helped hundreds of people and today also I have paid for a patient’s tests. He is also helping the specially-abled community to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
The country is facing tough times during the pandemic and many people are running away from their responsibilities and some are indulging in illegal activities like black marketing and other means to make money. In this situation, a person like Santdev is a hope for the society.
Santdev says most of the people who are coming to AIIMS are from poor background and they are in distress because of the load in the hospital and his small help provides them solace. He said that he sometimes arranges free lodging facility for those who are not from well-to-do families, in the neighbourhood.
The Federation also pools resources for such people.
A super food that comes with absolute zero wastage which can be used in any form be it sambar/curry/raita/subzi or can be eaten as a fruit itself…writes Siddhi Jain.
Most women in fear Thyroid issues because it is common in the current days. The Thyroid hormone is essential for normal development, differentiation and metabolic balance. It is well established that your thyroid hormone status correlates with your body weight and energy expenditure. Derangements in this mechanism can result in conditions like hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and thyroiditis where one can experience several health concerns like hair fall/balding, constipation, weight gain/weight loss, irregular menstrual cycles, fatigue, sluggishness etc, says Dr Sharanya Srinivas Shastry, a dietitian at Apollo Spectra Hospital, Koramangala Bangalore.
Hence, a well-balanced diet consisting of iodine and essential amino acids (protein of good quality in the right amount) with adequate exercise and regular medication makes sure that you have a healthy, tension-free thyroid. The expert shares a list of top foods to take for thyroid issues.
Saffron
Overnight soaked saffron if consumed on waking up is very good for mood swings in most people who have thyroid issues. It gives relief from abdominal cramps or PMS and is a promising anti-obesity drug as in most cases with thyroid abnormalities, people tend to put on weight. The best way to have it is a homemade Kesari bath with Vegetable Upma in order to get the best amino acids along with good flavour/taste or a glass of saffron milk where you’re getting your calcium and protein too. Banana (flower/plantain/stem)
What’s in a banana?
A superfood that comes with absolute zero wastage can be used in any form be it sambar/curry/raita/subzi or can be eaten as a fruit itself. Hence, a banana a day keeps thyroid issues at bay as it is a naturally rich source of iodine that is essential for the activation/conversion of the T4 to T3 in the body. (A few slices of mango/jackfruit every day during the season is also good for your thyroid)
Horse gram/Baked Fish
Horse gram is a very important crop grown in South India and also in a few states like Chhattisgarh and Bihar. It is eaten in the form of dal most often is a rich source of protein, iron, zinc which helps in the natural conversion of the inactive T4 to active T3 to produce TSH. Thus, include it in the form of a rasam/dal/soup at least twice a week.
Oven-baked fish, rich in selenium, Omega-3
Used sparingly (once/twice a week, preferably not consumed at night) gives the best amino acid profile along with micronutrients required for a healthy thyroid.
Khichdi or Pongal
Your gut health decides how healthy your thyroid can be according to the latest studies. The gut is another location where T4 (inactive form) is converted to T3 (active form) and any imbalance in the gut bacteria (called dysbiosis) leads to constipation/bloating or gastric problems thereby disrupting your metabolic rate. Therefore, include a khichdi/Pongal at least twice/week in order to keep your gut healthy thus giving you a tension-free thyroid.
Whole Grains with rasam/dal/seafood
Whole grains are rich in Iodine, Copper, Magnesium along B group vitamins which make sure that you’ve good energy levels throughout the day. Hence single polished/hand pound rice or whole wheat atta when eaten with traditionally cooked sambar/rasam/dal/sabzi / fresh seafood gives you the best combination of protein- fiber-selenium and carbohydrate giving you a balanced thyroid. So, go local, regional, and seasonal.
FnB columnist Riccha Grrover in conversation with Chef Saransh Goila to know more about his GOILA BUTTER CHICKEN in London and launching meal-kits & a nationwide delivery system in the UK
One of India’s most widely respected chefs, Saransh Goila has developed a cult-like following for his eponymous butter chicken recipe globally. Having garnered a legion of high profile followers after the opening of his restaurant Goila Butter Chicken in Mumbai in 2016, Saransh was flown to be a guest judge on Masterchef Australia in 2018 where he judged contestants’ iterations of his signature dish. In 2019 his Goila Butter Chicken won the ‘people’s choice’ prize at India’s famed food festival, World on a Plate (WOAP); and in February 2020 Saransh teamed up with the Templeton brothers for a sell-out fortnight-long residency at Carousel (Marylebone), before setting up a London-wide hot meal delivery service in November last year. He has been in the Forbes 2019 Celebrity 100 list and amongst Facebook’s 100 Future Tycoons of India.
Saransh Brings ‘Goila Butter Chicken’ To London
RICCHA GRROVER- Tell us about your journey as a professional chef, across kitchens and FnB set ups from India to London. Did you always plan to be a chef or did you dabble into the profession as an extension of a hobby?
SARANSH GOILA- I grew up in Pitampura near Delhi. From a very young age, I had an inclination towards cooking. By the age of twelve, I started experimenting and cooking in the kitchen with my mom and granddad. Soon, I started cooking for my uncles and aunts and neighbours and my grandpa wanted me to pursue a career in cooking looking at my aptitude and interest. I believed in his vision of converting my hobby into profession and someday being a chef like ‘Sanjeev Kapoor’ and decided to pursue culinary arts from Institute of Hotel Management- Aurangabad, India.
After completing my professional studies and work at the Leela Hotels in Bengaluru for a couple of years I wanted to try something different. I wanted to be on television in order to teach people more about India Cuisine. After many failed attempts, I secured a spot as a contestant on Bollywood celebrity Madhuri Dixit’s comeback show, Food Food Maha Challenge, which was being hosted by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. I went on to win the show and that got me what I wanted a food travelogue that made me travel 100 days of India by road is search of lost regional recipes and street food artistes. It was called Roti Rasta Aur India (which meant – Bread, Roads and India).
After the show, I found my space in the FnB industry in Mumbai (the city of dreams!). I came up with my version of butter chicken by a happy accident. I wanted to make a dish that tastes exactly like butter chicken but without the chicken as I wanted my vegetarian parents to be able to taste it. For that made few tweaks to the classic recipe and balanced it out in a way that the base gravy would have all the tasting notes of butter chicken enhanced and well balanced. When my friends in Mumbai first ate it when I moved to Mumbai, they loved it so much that they started a Twitter hashtag, #GoilaButterChicken.
This soon became my signature dish, which I started serving through my outlets and pop-ups in 2016 and it was later also seen on the epic TV show, MasterChef Australia in 2018. It was after this show we got a lot of international acclaim which led us to do a pop in London at Carousel. Post which we built a great relationship with the Templeton bros (founders of Carousel) and that took Goila from Mumbai to London.
RG- How is your butter chicken brand different from all the other Indian restaurants in London in terms of what unique food experience you offer?
SG-The secret to my recipe is the tomato to dairy ratio (80:20 as opposed to the usual 60:40), the all-important infusion of smoke and insistence that only the absolute best ingredients make it into the pot.
It all begins with fantastic tasting, ethical ingredients. That means truly free range, slow-grown, herb-fed chickens from Yorkshire, the creamiest French butter and eco-friendly charcoal from FSC-certified forests.
With less butter than the classic recipe calls for and absolutely no colouring, sugar or fluorescent orange additive, Goila Butter Chicken is made fresh each day by chefs who take pride in turning curry into an art form.
RG- Where does your menu take its inspiration from?
SG- Inspiration for this menu comes straight from my home kitchen in Delhi. It’s what my mom and dad find comforting and they’d eat for dinner almost every weekend. Sometimes less is more. There are six elements to the quintessential Goila meal experience: Butter Chicken, Dal Makhani, Jeera Rice, Sourdough Naan, Pickled Shallots and Coriander Chutney. I do believe… too much choice is overrated.
RG-Tell us about some of your highs and lows in the journey as a chef. What keeps you motivated and what’s been your mantra of success? What advice would you give budding chefs?
SG-Before I set out on my entrepreneurial sojourn, I was working as a chef at The Leela Hotel – Bangalore. I felt like a misfit although I had a stable and a well-paying job. The decision to quit that path for a road of uncertainties where the stakes were high, lack of staunch financial support and inadequate operational experience to run a business has been the most difficult yet rewarding decision of my life.
To have been able to make a self-funded homegrown brand in Mumbai to Masterchef Australia and then opening an outpost in London is a definite high which keeps us motivated to keep innovating and pushing the boundaries further to grow the brand and make Goila Butter Chicken a global brand. What keeps me motivated is to keep promoting Indian cuisine across the globe, our cuisine is so diverse and full flavours and we need to make sure that the world knows about it!
My basic quote for all the young chefs out there – Be true to yourself! Do not replicate a recipe fully. Add your personal touch to it and make it unique to yourself. Your own rendition of the dish will make it a memorable one. For all you know, you may just be able to do more justice to it than the original creator of the recipe! Cooking is an amalgamation of science and art – so experiment and express your inner-self through your food, don’t forget to infuse love into it!
RG- What is your vision for your food brand in the UK- do you have plans of expansion?
Saransh Brings ‘Goila Butter Chicken’ To London
SG-We envision Goila Butter Chicken to be available all across the UK at your doorstep in the next future. Meanwhile our meal kits are already doing that! We plan to expand our cloud kitchens all across UK and will also be indulging in some pop-up stores that will reflect more diversity and innovation in the menu. We really want Goila to be the first choice for people in the UK, whenever they think of curry!
……………………
Chef Saransh Goila’s world-renowned butter chicken is now available to diners nationwide in the UK, for the first time ever, through the launch of Goila Butter Chicken meal kits. Along with the butter chicken, the feasting meal-kit box is complete with Dal makhani – developed by Saransh to be the perfect accompaniment – as well as Sourdough naan fired in a pizza oven, crunchy and tangy Pickled shallots, Coriander chutney and Jeera rice. Vegetarians can replace the chicken with paneer.
Asian Lite FnB columnist Riccha Grrover in conversation with chefpreneur Malobika Roy on her London based home chef brand PartyPals
“What was once a hobby and passion, has become a vocation. That is not something many people can say about their work. Cooking has always been a passion of mine since childhood. I picked up my skills and craft from my mother. Though we grew up hundreds of miles away from Kolkata, she brought me up in an environment ‘more Bengali’ than many households in Kolkata I feel.
Malobika Roy
But since moving to London some years ago, the one thing that I always felt missing was a food destination serving authentic Bengali food. There were enough Indian food joints – serving Punjabi and Gujarati food. But none of the restaurants serving traditional Bengali dishes with original taste of Bengal. Thus, it all started with the idea to fill this gap and to keep the authentic taste of Bengal alive in the heart of London.” commented Malobika Roy on the gist of her culinary journey as a home chef entrepreneur in London.
RICCHA GRROVER-Tell us about your home chef business brand Party Pals- when did you set it up, what inspired you and what cuisine do you offer?
MALOBIKA ROY- I am a home chef who runs my food business from my own faithful home kitchen. I set up PartyPals back in 2016. It is my fifth year running. What an incredible journey it has been so far! What started as an idea, hatched over a meal out in a restaurant once has become an integral part of my life.
The name PartyPals was born with the thought of helping “take the stress of cooking away from hosts at parties”. While Party Pals catered to requests from patrons, mostly within the Bengali/ Asian community, the thought of showcasing our rich heritage to all Londoners gave birth to my supper club – Aahare Bangla. Aahare Bangla literally means “Discovering Bengal through food”.
RG– What have been the challenges to the FnB industry in Covid times and what difficulties have you overcome an a FnB chefpreneur in these times?
MR-Food business, much like most other hospitality businesses has had to bear the brunt of the pandemic. It was in March 2020, that I was all set with the latest chapter of my Supper Club – Aahare Bangla – with guests invited. When the warning bells of the pandemic started ringing, it was with abundance of caution, and thought for the wellbeing of guests that I took the painful decision to cancel the event. The lockdown and restrictions to social distancing had all but severed my traditional sources – party orders and gatherings (supper clubs).
While getting accustomed to the new ways of life in pandemic, in June 2020 PartyPals reinvented itself as a takeaway joint. I have kept the flames burning ever brightly, hosting a special weekend menu every fortnight. Our patrons have supported us, at these trying times, sometimes travelling half of London to pick up their food.
RG– How is a meal from PartyPals different from other takeaways and cloud kitchens these days? What makes it unique. What are the top 5 dishes you recommend a first time diner to try from your menu?
MR-The food at PartyPals is genuinely Bengali. I ensure that every item I present on my menu is true to its roots. Hours are spent in research, trials to perfect the recipe before they make it to the menu. There are no shortcuts. Each ingredient is sourced from distributors who bear links to farmers, or for traditional items – have a direct link to sources back home (in India/ Bangladesh). Each spice is ground from raw ingredients and blended in the PartyPals kitchen.
There is a special saying in Bengali – “Baro mashe Tero parbon” which means Bengal is a land with thirteen festivals in twelve months. I design my menus around the festivals to bring eternal gems from Bengal as well as my fusion Bengali food that appeals to today’s generation
Some of my most loved dishes include:
Shukto – a traditional recipe made from a plethora of vegetables cooked in the most unique blend of spices with a creamy, milky gravy with the slightest hint of sweetness and a core taste of bitterness
Ilish Bhapa, a classic Hilsa preparation of Bengali cuisine where fresh hilsa is marinated in special mustard and cooked in a steamer
Kolkata Kathi Egg-Chicken Roll – a most scrumptious and beloved street food of Kolkata prepared from juicy morsels of chicken kabab pieces, wrapped in a paratha coated in egg.
Chicken Chaap – A unique combination of juicy and moist chicken leg pieces and thick gravy of poppy seeds-cashew nut paste with saffron (zafran) lending a beautiful colour and aroma
Baked Rasogulla – a baked syrupy recipe made from date jaggery and fresh rasogulla
RG– Tell us about your menu, seasonal specials, festive menus. What does your menu take its inspiration from?
Malobika Roy
MR- As stated, my love for cooking draws inspiration from my mother. A lot of the dishes on my menu have made it straight from her kitchen. I have been fascinated by the dishes from Thakur Bari (Rabindranath Tagore’s) kitchen and the distinct Mughlai influences on quintessential Bengali delights. Several of my menu items and weekend menus bear testament to this influence.
I do have two additional inspirations at home- my kids, who have inspired some of my fusion recipes – themed “East meets West” – blending traditional Bengali ingredients and/ or cooking techniques with western delights.
Most recently, I had served “Nalen gurer mousse”, blending fresh date jaggery, an eternal winter favourite in Bengal as a mousse. I was overwhelmed by the reception.
My husband remains my greatest critique ensuring my recipes remain authentic in their as well as my support in day to day running PartyPals.
There is a special saying in Bengali – “Baro mashe Tero parbon” which means Bengal is a land with thirteen festivals in twelve months. I design my menus around the festivals to bring eternal gems from Bengal as well as my fusion Bengali food that appeals to today’s generation.
RG – What words of advice do you have for budding chefpreneurs? What is your aspiration for the future for your home chef delivery brand?
MR– Love your craft and remain true to your roots.
RG- Do you cater for parties and events too? What have been your biggest highs in your career as a chefpreneur?
Nolen Gurer Mousse
MR– I started with catering to small parties and occasions. These five years I have had the privilege to cater to numerous occasions and get-togethers of upto 200 guests. From hosting Bengali special menus to serving Bengali menus to sell out Supper Clubs we have done it all.
It has been a humble attempt to showcase our richness and breadth of Bengali cuisine here in the heart of London. Party Pals catered to Kolkata foodies club’s first ever London chapter.
We also catered to a 150 strong sit-down party celebrating the silver anniversary at Southampton. PartyPals was also the first to bring food to guests at DurgaPuja in Solugh, one of the oldest and most popular Durga Pujas in London. We have been a regular feature since.
As she signed off Chef Malobika said: “My entire business has grown from the word of mouth and it would not be complete if I did not thank my faithful clientele who have stood rock solid throughout these years, and even today even during lockdown. It is this encouragement that has enabled me to spread my wings and lend the opportunity to fly!”
Bangali Thali
Busy at kichen – Aahare Bangla – Supper Club
Chingri (Prawn) Malaikari
Malobika Roy
Malobika Roy
JalKhabar (Breakfast) – Luchi Aloo Tarkari and Chai
The outlet is now launching their new menu, namely “Local Favorites”, a dual affair of starters and shareable food. This menu features some of the immensely popular Indian dishes with a touch of American flavour…Writes Puja Gupta.
Hard Rock Cafe has always been popular among music lovers for its Rock ‘n’ Roll theme and outstanding in-house gigs. Bringing forth the idea of ‘good food and good music’, it has launched a new menu.
The global player slotted in at the prime spot of Kolkata in Park Street half a decade ago, creating a buzz among the city-folks. The cafe has an extensive menu that includes American delicacies like burgers, sandwiches, flatbreads, etc.
The outlet is now launching their new menu, namely “Local Favorites”, a dual affair of starters and shareable food. This menu features some of the immensely popular Indian dishes with a touch of American flavour.
Vanita Bajoria, Director, Hard Rock Cafe, Kolkata, says: “Our main motto is to ensure that our clients have a plethora of options to choose from when they open the menu. It is the first time Hard Rock Cafe Kolkata is adding indigenous flavors to its menu. We are hoping for a good response. We have many foreign customers who visit Hard Rock Cafe regularly. It would be a great opportunity for them to try out local flavours while chugging their favorite beer.”
Dishes like Khandari Paneer Tikka Pomegranate Molasses (robust spice marinated paneer tikka with pomegranate molasses glaze, served with jungle sauce and kachumber), Paneer Tikka Masala (roasted paneer Tikka served with makhani sauce on a bed of jeera rice), Rosemary Chicken Malai Tikka (cream and rosemary tikka served with jungle sauce and kachumber), Chicken Tikka Masala (roasted chicken tikka served with makhani sauce on a bed of jeera rice), are a few of the major highlights of the freshly curated menu.
The new menu brings to one’s plate the amalgamation of two different gastronomic cultures across the ocean.
If you want to go for the framed choice of delicious protein fillings in your diet, this menu offers several delectable dishes like Fish and Chips, Spicy Chicken Drumsticks, Non-Veg Kebab Platter, etc.
After seeing a video of people queuing for food, Wanis International, one of the UK’s leading imports and Distributors of World Food and Drink, wanted to support the effort of feeding those in need. They are supporting London Community Kitchen at Harrow and NHS’s Heart-To-Heart and organ donation campaign … reports Asian Lite News
Tropical Sun is shining a ray of hope for the community. The brand, along with its parent company Wanis International Foods, is doing its part to give back to the community. They have taken initiatives that will help make lives better for those in need by supporting London Community Kitchen (LCK) and the NHS.
Wanis International supports community initiatives
After seeing a video of people queuing for food, Wanis International wanted to support the effort of feeding those in need. It did so by shining a ray of Tropical Sun at the Brent Indian Association event on Ealing Road. The brand donated large quantities of food including basmati rice, curry powder, coconut milk powder, lentils, chickpeas, tea and much more to help those in need gain access to nutritious meals.
The London Community Kitchen based in Harrow provides food for over 5000 people on a weekly basis through markets and food parcels, and The Brent Indian Association benevolently allows LCK to run its food market every Saturday on its premises.
At the Brent Indian Association, Wanis International Foods was greeted by Hitenbhai, the Chair of Brent Indian Association, Cllr Ernest Ezeajughi, Mayor of Brent, Councillor Butt, the Leader of Council, and Satesh Melwani, who is the Business Development Manager at Wanis International Foods, along with Manish Tiwari, Managing Director of Here and Now 365, and Sanjay Mehta, Wembley Lion and BIA Committee Member, who all helped organise the successful event.
“Wanis International Foods, spanning 57 years in business, is one of the UK’s leading imports and Distributors of World Food and Drink. We are proud to be supporting the London Community Kitchen in support of the community.”States, Satesh Melwani, Business Development Manager at Wanis International Foods.
To continue the good work, Tropical Sun has also teamed up with the NHS for the Heart-to-Heart campaign which officially launched on the 23rd of March to encourage life-saving conversations around blood and organ donation. The campaign aims to reach people in the kitchen, the heart of the home.
Wanis International supports community initiatives
Tropical Sun has given the NHS valuable space on their Rice and Jackfruit packs. In addition to this, they are also running a video campaign featuring popular influencers like fitness guru, Mr. Motivator and Nina Wadia, a popular actress who stars in EastEnders and Goodness Gracious Me. The Heart-to-Heart campaign aims to encourage the spirit of benevolence in the community and support the NHS.
It is up to all of us to do our part to help out, so join and support the NHS. For those who would like to help out, you can sign up to donate blood at Blood.co.uk and join the organ donation registry at OrganDonation.NHS.UK.
While snacking may help in keeping your energy levels up, in a sedentary environment it also aids your body in storing unnecessary fat…writes Puja Gupta.
Snacking while working is a habit for people. Amongst the zillion other things that this pandemic has changed in our lives, it has changed the way we eat. This means different things for different people.
While many of us used the time at home to turn to cooking and baking and completely did away with ordering in and takeaways — thereby eating cleaner and healthier; there were also those who had to juggle WFH and household chores and didn’t find time to streamline their diets.
On the contrary their lifestyle became more sedentary and eating habits more disorganised. Not to mention the physiological reasons for turning to food when the world has turned upside down.
In short, people are struggling with their eating right now and probably in different ways than they’re used to. An expert on Tata Sky Family Health, Mona Johar, Functional Integrative Nutrition and Co-Founder Mechanism Wellness, lists down ways of mindful eating in the time of Work from home.
Structure your day
Not having the usual comfort zones like socialising, travelling to work or spending time outdoors in nature, has pushed us towards eating disorders in the last one year. And of course, the havoc caused by the absence of a routine. It is important for people to carry on with a schedule, to try to wake up at set times and go to sleep at certain times. This will give them a purpose and do away with ‘pandemic boredom’. Once there is a structure, things like diet, exercise and sleep will automatically fall into place.
Desktop diet
Nutritious snacks.(pixabay)
When life revolves around a table and chair for most parts of the day, thanks to homeschooling and WFH, the obvious conclusion is meals on the desk (read more snacking)! While snacking may help in keeping your energy levels up, in a sedentary environment it also aids your body in storing unnecessary fat. One should have a combination of either low calorie and high protein snacks or low calorie and high fiber snacks. Plan your meals in advance and keep them as fresh and organic as possible.
Eat mindfully
Mindful and intuitive eating practices are not diets. They are mindsets that require you to trust your natural instincts and listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues. Mindful eating is about rethinking food choices and practices; going back to traditional ways of eating and engaging your senses by noticing colors, smells, sounds, textures, and taste. Work your way up to eating mindfully every day and forgive yourself when you don’t. It can take weeks, months so be patient with yourself, and enjoy the process of building a stronger mind-body connection and improving your relationship to food.
Start an intuitive journey
Honour hunger: Keep your body biologically fed with adequate energy and carbohydrates. Once you reach the moment of excessive hunger, all intentions of moderate, conscious eating are fleeting and irrelevant.
Don’t eat for the wrong reasons: Get in touch with your feelings and don’t let food become an excuse for not dealing with emotions such as anger, anxiety, or loneliness.
Make peace with food: Buy food you feel like eating. Listen to your food cravings, it is alright to indulge every once in a while.
Stop when full: Listen for the body signals that tell you that you are no longer hungry. Observe the signs that show that you’re comfortably full.
Don’t over-exercise: Check in with your body, do not exercise hard when exhausted, opt for a gentler routine. Have a variety of workouts at your disposal and pick and choose based on how your body’s feeling.
Exercise and move for enjoyment: Not expressly for weight loss or calorie burning.
Eat nutrient dense food: Notice how you feel when you choose healthy, high-quality food. Take stock of your physical, mental and emotional responses.
The philosophy behind Pa Pa Ya is simple – present Asian cuisine paired with Asian centric spirits with a twist…writes Puja Gupta.
Food is a weakness for some people at least. Pan Asian dining concept Pa Pa Ya has opened in Gurugram. With this newest entrant, Moonshine Food Ventures strengthens their association with Massive Restaurants after the opening of Farzi Cafe, Aerocity.
The design of the place draws inspiration from the age-old art of “kintsugi” which is similar to the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, embracing of the flawed or imperfect.
Speaking on the opening, Zorawar Kalra, Founder and Managing Director, Massive Restaurants Pvt. Ltd., said: “Pa Pa Ya is a fun and ‘high energy dining’ concept that encapsulates all the five senses into the dining experience. The philosophy behind Pa Pa Ya is simple – present Asian cuisine paired with Asian centric spirits with a twist. This is done through a mix of cutting- edge cooking techniques like molecular gastronomy & mixology, which has been used throughout the menu wherever it genuinely adds value, in a sense for it to be a combination of art and science.”
Vishal Anand, Founder, Moonshine Food Ventures, said: “Pa Pa Ya, Gurgaon is an outcome of our successful and pleasant association with Massive restaurants which started from Farzi Cafe, Aerocity. The association has only become stronger with time and with the second franchise in place, we hope to achieve greater heights together with Pa Pa Ya.”
Pa Pa Ya, Gurgaon is integrated with cutting edge contemporary cooking techniques, including the use of the latest innovations and technology used in molecular gastronomy.
Retaining the flavors of Asian classics, the menu includes Sushi Matrix, Shao Mai Dimsums, Lamb Rendang curry; Penang Curry; Mapo Tofu; Peanut crusted ikan bakar; Shanghainese style pork belly; Tuna tataki pizza; Rock shrimp tempura; and more for a true pan-Asian dining experience.
For those with a sweet tooth, the selection offers unique versions of iconic dessert from the regions that are presented in a fun and engaging manner for an indulgent affair such as Chocolate ball on fire, Liquid hazelnut fondant cake and many more.
The property offers a mix of outdoor and indoor seating for the guest. Seating capacity of 72 people, situated on the second floor of Worldmark Gurgaon giving a magnificent view of the Gurugram skyline.
